Machine for trimming metal caps



1929- A. w. PAULL ET AL 1,732,529

MACHINE FOR TRIMMING METAL GAPS Filed Jan. 'r, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 n INVENTORS g3? 'rM 1929- A. w. PAULL ET AL HACHINE FOR TRIMMING METAL CAPS 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Jan. 7, 1927 nyron 5' Patented Oct. 22, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARCHIBALD W. PA'ULL AND WALTER T. DAVIS, 01: WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA, AS-

SIGNOBS T0 WHEELING- STAMPING COMPANY, OF WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA, A.

CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA MACHINE FOR TRIMMING METAL CAPS Application filed January 7, 1927. Serial No. 159,724.

punching out cork and setting it in the caps.

as they are moved through the machine in succession, such caps prior to the time when the cork is inserted having already been threaded and after the cork has been inserted the caps are complete.

The present invention relates to a mechanism primarily intended for use in connection with such a cork inserting mechanism.

It has been found that the caps which have been threaded are not all of uniform height and that some of them may have slightly irregular edges. According to the present invention, it is proposed to provide means for trimming the caps to insure uniformity of height and to remove any sharp or irregular edges.

The invention may be readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates one embodiment of our invention, and in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the cork punching and inserting machine having an apparatus embodying the present invention applied thereto. I

Fig. 2 is an end view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view in substantially the plane of line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the operating yoke for the trimmer mechanism, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing one of the trimming cutters.

The mechanism which is illustrated is generally similar to that shown in the Edwards and 'McGrinnes application, but certain parts embodying the present invention have been added thereto. The machine includes a bed 2 on which is mounted a rotatable cap holding a moving disk 3. The disk 3 has a series of cap retaining recesses or pockets 4 in the periphery thereof. It is rotatably, carried on a central shaft 5 and is arranged to be intermittently rotated in a step by step manner by means of a ratchet wheel 6, shown in Fig. 3, carried on the shaft and which is operated by means of a pawl 7 on a reciprocable rod 8. The rod 8 is arranged to be operated on each 'stroke of the punch hereinafter described. This operating mechanism for the disk is only incidental to the present invention and is fully disclosed in the said copending application. The disk is spaced a slight distance above the bed of the machine so as to allow clearance for the flanges on the caps, the arrangement being such that when the caps are received in the notches 4, thekflanges on the caps can extend under the dis Positioned at one side of the disk 3 is a second disk 9 on a spindle 10 which is continuously rotated by suitable mechanism, not shown. through a chute or delivery trough 11. At the outer edge of the disk 9 is a fixed guard 12. Extending out from the center of the disk 9 is another guard 13. The disk 9 prothat the periphery of the disk 3 rides over .a portion of the'disk 9. As the disk 9 rotates in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3, the

' caps delivered onto the disk from the chute 11 are carried around to the periphery of the disk 3. The guide 12 terminates close to the edge of the disk 3 and serves to directthe caps into the notches 4 in the disk 3. Each notch is capable of receiving and holding only a single cap. Consequently as the disk 3 rotates step by step, a cap will be fed successi-vely into each of the pockets 4.

At one side of the disk 3 is a vertical column 14 in which is a vertically reciprocable head 15. This head is reciprocated by any suitable mechanism, such mechanism not being shown in the present application. On the lower end of the head 15 there are preferably three punches 16, 17 and 18. At 19 there is a diagonally extending guide through which a strip of cork 20 is adapted to be intermittently fed. This guide extends directwill cut out a disk from the cork strip 20 and force it into the cap which is then positioned erally as 21. The cork feeding and punching mechanism forms the subject matter of the said copending application of Edwards and McGinnes. The'next punch 17 is slightly longer than the punch '16 and is positloned from punch 16 just the distance between successive notches 4, so that when the punch 16 comes down to cut out a disk of cork to force it into a cap, the punch 17 will come down into a cap which has previously been supplied with cork and force the cork clear down into the end of the cap. There is a discharge opening in the bed 2 of the machine at 22. The punch18 is for the purpose of knocking any caps which have become stuck in the notches 4 down through the discharge opening 22. Most of the caps will naturally drop through the opening 22, and the punch 18 merely insures the removal of any caps which do not drop of themselves.

. The present invention comprises the provision of means for trimming the caps before they are fed under the punches which supply and insert the cork. This means preferably includes a vertical stand or support 25 secured to the bed of the machine and having spaced apart horizontal arms 26 and 27 thereon. Mountedinthe arm 26 is a bushing 28 and in-the arm-27'is a bushing 29. Passing through these bushings is a shaft 30 having a chuck or socket 31 at its lower end in which is received. a cap trimming tool 32. This tool, which is somewhat similar to a milling machine tool, is clearly shown in Fig. 5.

On the shaft 30 between the arms 26 and 27' is a pulley 33'which is adapted to drive the shaft 30. This pulley is connected to a belt with a continuously driven motor, not

shown. On the upper end of the shaft 30 is'a grooved collar 34. This collar is preferably adjustable by means of, a set screw 35.

Mounted on the top of the column 25 is a (post 36. This post is preferably vertically a justable. Pivoted to the post 36 at 37 is one end of a yoke or feather in the form of a lever- 38 having pins 39 thereon which engage in the groove in the collar 34. The outer end of the lever 38 has a vertical bolt 40 slidably carried in the outer end thereof, vA spring 41 interposed between the head of the bolt and the end of the lever tends to urge the bolt upwardly while a nut 42 on the bolt on the underside of the lever limits the upward movement; Secured to the reciprocable head 15 of the cork punching mechanism is abracket 43 for engagement with the end of the bolt 40.

The cutter 32 is positioned directly over one of the positions where the notches 4 come to a stop. This is preferably a position diametrically opposite the punch-16. When the head 15 lowers for a cork punching op-. .eration, the lever 38 drops downwardly by gravity. This lowers the shaft 30 and rings the cutter into engagement with the tops of the caps. The adjustment is such that the cutter will bear lightly against the top of the ca s and trim them all down to a uniform he ght. The distance which the shaft 30 will drop is limited by the bearing washer 35 at the bottom of the collar 35 coming into contact with the top of the bushing 28. This distance can be varied by adjusting the collar 34, and it can also be varied to some extent by adjusting the post 36.

On the upward IIIOVGIIlBl'lhzOf the head 15, the bracket 43 engages the lower end of the bolt 40 and raises thelever 38. This raises the shaft 30 through the feather arrangement described. The spring 41 and the sliding pin 40' provide a slightly resilient means for transmitting motion from the bracket 43 to the lever-38 in order to prevent undesirable vibration or bouncing of the shaft 30 when the lever 38 drops and comes into contact with the bracket 43.

- In order to retain the caps 1n the sockets while they are being trimmed and to resiliently hold them against rotation a bar 44 is pivotally secured to the bed of the machine at 45. The free end of the bar is turned inwardly to a slight extent as indicated at 46.

inwardly, the terminal portion 46 hooks around the cap which is in position to be trimmed and holds-iti'with sufficient pressure to prevent the clip;- fm ref alippingout of the notch and from rotating. When the disk is advanced a step, the bar 44 will be forced out and be disengaged from the cap. A guide 49 is preferably secured to the bed of the machine'adj aceiit' the periphery of the disk 3 between the end of the ho ding bar or dog 44' and the cork guide 19. -This guide tends to prevent any caps which have become slightly displaced in the notches from escaping from the notches.

It will thus be seen that the mechanism provided by the present invention will trim each of the caps individually and successively as they are fed into the cork inserting mechanism.- Any ragged edges, or imperfect edges, will be trimmed o and the caps all madeuniform. The mechanism is relatively simple and can be easily constructed and applied to the cork inserting machines. The trimming is synchronized with the cork insertion by reason of the fact that the movement of the lever 38 is directly controlled by the reciprocation of the cork inserting punch head 15. 7

While we have illustrated a certain preferrred embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that the invention is not re-' stricted to the specific embodiment herein illustrated, and that various changes and modifications may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts within the contemplation of our invention and under the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. The combination with a machine for inserting cork in caps, of means including a revoluble cutter associated therewith and op.- eratively connected theretofor successively trimming the caps to uniform length and means for transferring the trimmed caps to the cork inserting machine.

2. The combination with a machine for inserting cork in caps in succession, of means including a revoluble cutter associated therewith and operatively connected thereto for successively trimming the caps to a uniform length, and means for transferring the trimmed caps to the cork inserting machine.

3. The combination with a machine for inserting cork in caps including means for successively supplying the caps to the machine, means for punching the cork into the caps including a reciprocable head, of a cap trimming mechanism arranged over the path of travel of the caps to the cork inserting machine including a vertically reciprocable rotatable cutter, and means on the said recipro- 4 cable head of the cork inserting machine for raising and lowering the cutter.

4. The combination with a cork inserting machine for inserting corks in caps, which machine includes a cap feeding mechanism and a reciprocable punch, of a cap trimmer positioned over the cap feeding means, said trimmer including a vertically reciprocable shaft having a cutter thereon, and means operated by the said punch for raising and lowering the shaft tosuccessively bring the cutter into engagement with the ends of the caps in the said feeding means.

5. The combination with a cap feeding disk having a plurality of cap receiving recesses therein, of a cutter to which the caps are successively fed by the movement of said disk,

said cutterbeingverticallyreciprocable,means for effecting an up-and-down movement of the cutter to bring it into engagement with the caps as they are successlvely .positioned beneath it, and means cooperating with the disk for resiliently holding the caps against rotation during the period when the. cutter is engaged therewith.

I 6. Adevice for trimming caps and inserting cork-itherein comprising a reciprocable cap trimming device, means including a reciprocable plunger for inserting cork in the trimmed cap, intermittently operable feeding mechanism for feeding the caps from the trimming device to the cork inserting means, and means controlled by the movement of said plunger formoving said trimming device to inoperative position.

7 A device for trimming caps and inserting cork therein comprising a trimming device including a vertically reciprocable spindle having a cutter at its lower end, means for revolving the spindle, means including a reciprocable plunger for inserting cork in the trimmed cap,intermittently operable feeding mechanism for feeding the caps from the trimming device to the cork inserting means, and means controlled by the movement of said plunger for moving said trimming device to inoperative position.

8. A device for trimming caps and inserting cork therein comprising a trimming device including a continuously driven vertically reciprocable spindle having a cutter at its lower end, means for lowering the spindle to a predetermined position, means including a reciprocable plunger for inserting cork in the trimmed cap, intermittently operable feeding mechanism for feeding the caps from the trimming device to the cork inserting means, and means controlled by the movement of said plunger for moving said trimming device to inoperative position.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

AROHIBALD W. PAULL. WALTER T. DAVIS. 

